Chapter 1060: Look After Him a Little

After those people came to Tiandi Sect to investigate Chuan Ying, they had also ordered everyone there to keep their mouths tightly shut.

The female disciples of the sects involved had lost their chastity, and those sects naturally had no desire to publicize the matter either. It was more or less a case of keeping family disgrace within the family.

By rights, very few people knew Chuan Ying belonged to Tiandi Sect. How had Niu Youdao's people learned of it, and why had they gone out of their way to ask?

When Linghu Qiu saved Chuan Ying back then, it had purely been a matter of helping someone through an emergency in the jianghu. No one had expected it to lead to something so alarming, much less that Chuan Ying would somehow end up marrying the Master of Ice and Snow Pavilion.

Now Tiandi Sect did not even know whether it should bask in Chuan Ying's reflected glory. If they did, no one could say whether it would prove a blessing or a curse.

"Is Sir finding this difficult?" Hongxiu, standing to the left, ventured.

"Ah!" Linghu Qiu rocked forward and back in his chair with a sigh. "Ice and Snow Sacred Land doesn't want this matter publicized. Since the Ice and Snow Pavilion Master's marriage downward is already settled, they probably don't want Chuan Ying's old blemishes spread around everywhere."

Hongfu muttered unhappily, "It's only a letter from Yuan Gang, not something Niu Youdao wrote personally. What does it matter if we don't reply?"

The words were resentful, but not without reason. Some matters truly were not suitable for casually telling outsiders. Even so, Linghu Qiu remained hesitant. Yuan Gang was, after all, Niu Youdao's trusted confidant.

Tiandi Sect's feelings toward Niu Youdao had always been complicated, and Niu Youdao's influence over the sect had likewise followed them like a shadow. Tiandi Sect had been able to establish itself successfully in no small part because of Niu Youdao's help. Even Emperor Taishu Xiong's decision to force the sect to relocate here had not been unrelated to Niu Youdao.

While Linghu Qiu was still weighing the matter, two large flying mounts appeared in the distant sky. After drawing near, they dove straight down and landed outside the sect's main hall.

A tall man in white stepped to the ground and approached. A long sword hung at his waist. His robes were white as snow, and his glossy black hair had been combed back into a single braid trailing down his back. Red lips, white teeth, a face like polished jade—his appearance possessed a beauty capable of overturning hearts. When his star-bright eyes flashed, their charm was particularly striking. Among men, such an extraordinarily handsome face was rare.

His figure was upright and trim, giving his whole person a clean, decisive air.

"Chuan Ying?" Linghu Qiu, who had come out after hearing the commotion, blurted in surprise. He was plainly not expecting him.

Hongxiu and Hongfu followed him out and could not help looking twice at the newcomer. As women, they had to admit the man truly was beautiful. A single glance was enough to make the heart stir. Both felt some regret that a man so handsome had to be so amorous, constantly entangling himself with women until he ruined his own reputation.

"Sect Leader!" Chuan Ying came forward and saluted.

Linghu Qiu raised a hand, telling him to dispense with the formalities, but his gaze had already shifted toward the people standing beside the flying mounts. In a low voice he asked, "People from that side?"

"Mm." Chuan Ying nodded slightly. "Looks like you already know."

"With such a commotion outside, how could I not? Besides, people already came here to investigate you before." Linghu Qiu gestured for him to come inside.

The two entered the building, passed through the rear hall, and strolled into an inner courtyard. Only after they had escaped the ears and eyes of those outside did Linghu Qiu ask, "Why are you here?"

"I'm going into Sacred Realm to get married. Before leaving, I had to come say something to the Sect Leader." Chuan Ying paused, then added, "I originally wanted to invite Sect Leader to enter Sacred Realm with me for the wedding, but Ice and Snow Sacred Land refused."

Linghu Qiu could understand. He sighed. "I'm hardly worthy of being called your Sect Leader anymore. I think it would be better to expel you from the sect."

Chuan Ying stopped and stared at him. "Does Brother Linghu think Chuan Ying is an ungrateful man? I may be amorous, but I'm not ungrateful. Otherwise, Brother Linghu wouldn't have helped me through that crisis in the first place. Give me a chance to repay you."

Linghu Qiu stopped as well and clasped his hands behind his back. "Repay me? You're marrying Xue Luo'er and flying onto a high branch. By rights I should be happy for you, but for some reason I can't bring myself to rejoice."

Chuan Ying was silent for a moment. "Whether it's fortune or disaster remains hard to say."

Linghu Qiu said, "Do you have any idea how much trouble that damned pretty face of yours has caused by attracting bees and butterflies everywhere?"

Chuan Ying replied, "I was born with the face my parents gave me. What do you want me to do, mutilate myself?"

"Do you realize how dangerous this was? If Xue Luo'er hadn't protected you, would you still be alive? Of all the women you could have gotten involved with, why her? Women like her are not a blessing men like us can afford to enjoy."

"How would I dare provoke her? I'd never even seen her before. Who could have imagined the dignified Master of Ice and Snow Pavilion would lower herself like that?"

"Then you should've just let her play with you and left it at that. Marry her? Can you bear that kind of good fortune?"

Chuan Ying did not know whether to laugh or cry. "What do you mean, let her play with me? Brother Linghu, what kind of thing is that to say? In your eyes, am I nothing but a plaything for women?"

"You go around stirring up bees and butterflies. You're not far from it."

Chuan Ying sighed. "Even if what you say makes sense, what was I supposed to do? In a matter like this, men are born on the wrong side of the argument. Do you think people over there would see it as her playing with me? Anyone would assume I was the one playing with her, the one taking advantage. If I refused to marry her, I'd die even faster."

"Forget it. Things have already reached this point. You'll have to pray for your own good fortune. Marrying her isn't entirely bad. At the very least, you won't dare provoke any more women afterward, and no other woman will dare come near you either."

Chuan Ying gave a self-mocking smile. Then he reached into his sleeve, pulled out a stack of gold drafts, and handed them over.

Linghu Qiu stared. "What's this supposed to mean?"

"A great kindness doesn't need words of thanks. Your expenses here aren't small, and your funds are tight. A hundred thousand gold coins is only a small token of my gratitude. If I have the chance later, I'll repay the greater debt properly."

Linghu Qiu looked at him sideways. "Where did you get that much money? Xue Luo'er gave it to you?"

"That amount means nothing to her. What, you think I'm living off a woman and don't want it?"

"A woman's money, and you're giving it to me? Tell me, am I supposed to take it or not?"

"Oh, just take it. Treat it as the price I got for selling myself." Chuan Ying seized his hand and forcibly stuffed the gold drafts into it.

Linghu Qiu stared at the drafts in his hand, utterly speechless. Somehow, no matter how he held this money, it felt uncomfortable.

Chuan Ying said, "Things are already like this. What's the point in fussing over that? Once I enter Sacred Realm, I don't know when I'll be able to come back out. Perhaps I'll never come out at all. While I'm still here, is there anything you need help with? If it's within my ability, I'll do what I can."

"That side doesn't want your affairs spread around. We should probably minimize contact from now on."

"Can it really be hidden? If Ice and Snow Sacred Land could investigate it, do you think everyone else can't? Plenty of people probably already know about my connection to Tiandi Sect."

"What can you help me with on short notice? Can you make Tiandi Sect the number one sect in Jin? Can you make my cultivation soar? Or can you make me wealthy enough to rival a State?"

Chuan Ying thought for a moment, then laughed bitterly. "Even if I handed you the title of number one sect, the foundations beneath you aren't strong enough to support it... Looks like all I can do is give you a little money as a gesture." Then he seemed to remember something. "That's right. Don't you have a sworn brother inside Sacred Realm?"

"Niu Youdao?"

"Yes. I hear everyone who entered Sacred Realm for tempering is in a dangerous situation. Do you want me to make use of Xue Luo'er's connections? Perhaps I can arrange for someone to look after him a little inside Sacred Realm."

"This..." Linghu Qiu hesitated.

If Xue Luo'er was willing to help, perhaps she truly could support Niu Youdao somewhat inside Sacred Realm. Linghu Qiu would also count it as repaying a little of the favor he owed Niu Youdao.

"Would that be appropriate?"

"There's nothing inappropriate about it. I won't act rashly. I'll judge the circumstances when the time comes. Brother Linghu, Niu Youdao may not know about our relationship while he's inside Sacred Realm. Why not write him a letter proving how we're connected? Once I'm inside, I'll find an opportunity to pass it to him."

Linghu Qiu fell into thought.

Yuan Gang should already know about Tiandi Sect's connection to Chuan Ying. Niu Youdao, trapped inside Sacred Realm, might indeed still be unaware. Linghu Qiu simply could not decide whether he should write such a letter.

After observing his expression for a while, Chuan Ying said, "Sect Leader, I can't stay long. The people outside are still waiting. I need to leave immediately."

Under Chuan Ying's repeated urging, Linghu Qiu finally made up his mind. He hurried back inside, wrote a letter, and handed it to Chuan Ying.

After seeing Chuan Ying off, Linghu Qiu destroyed Yuan Gang's letter and did not send a reply. Since Chuan Ying would meet Niu Youdao personally, there was no longer any need to answer Yuan Gang.

...

At Sacred Realm's exit, a group emerged through the rippling light.

The moment Niu Youdao saw the woman surrounded by attendants, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He happened to be inspecting the area and immediately flashed over.

Before he could reach them, two guards shot out from the woman's entourage and blocked him.

"Who are you?" one barked.

From beyond them, Niu Youdao cupped his hands toward the poised, dignified woman. "City Lord Sha, it's been many years. Do you still remember Xuanyuan Dao?"

The woman was Sha Huanli.

Her appearance and bearing were noticeably more mature than they had been back then. After all, many years had passed.

In a sense, Niu Youdao had always felt some sympathy for her.

She had no control over her own life and seemed destined never to marry. In that respect, she and Xue Luo'er of Ice and Snow Pavilion had suffered something of the same fate.

If anything, Sha Huanli's position was even worse.

Xue Luo'er was at least the legitimate Master of Ice and Snow Pavilion and a cultivator herself, free to come and go through the skies. She had therefore managed to carry on a secret romance that was now about to end in marriage.

Sha Huanli, however, was only a mortal.

She had no ability to control the cultivators of Star-Plucking City. Put another way, those cultivators were actually the ones keeping watch over her. She could not escape, could not run away, and had virtually no opportunity to conduct any clandestine affair at all.

Caught off guard by the obstruction, Sha Huanli stared for a moment. Then her face blossomed into a brilliant smile. She waved for the guards to move aside and stepped gracefully forward. "It's you. Niu Youdao, wasn't it? Yes, I heard you were inside Sacred Realm."

The white-haired old man beside her, Xiang Ming, chief steward under Sha Huanli in Star-Plucking City, followed her forward. He stared coldly at Niu Youdao. "Why are you blocking the road?"

Niu Youdao hurried to explain. "I wasn't trying to block the road. I'm carrying out inspections under a Sacred Venerable's mandate and happened to be patrolling this area. I unexpectedly encountered City Lord Sha. It would have been discourteous to avoid you, so I came over to pay my respects."

Sha Huanli smiled. "Uncle Xiang, no need to be nervous."

She had barely finished speaking when several large flying mounts descended around the mountaintop basin.

Someone leapt down, approached, and saluted her. "Miss, Sir instructed us to escort you home."

The smile on Sha Huanli's face quietly disappeared. She replied flatly, "I'm not going back. Xue Luo'er is still waiting for me at Ice and Snow Sacred Land."

"This..." The newcomer immediately looked troubled.

Sha Huanli had already walked straight past him.

As Chief Steward Xiang Ming passed, he gave the man a slight shake of the head, signaling that there was no need to say anything more.

Before long, Sha Huanli's entire party mounted the flying beasts and departed, leaving behind the men Sha Rulai had sent, sighing helplessly.

Standing on the mountaintop and watching them vanish into the distance, Niu Youdao was somewhat dumbfounded as well.

A hole had suddenly appeared in his plan, one completely beyond his expectations.

[End of Chapter 1060]